Babies
With the birth of a royal baby, which I am pretty thrilled about, as well as meeting the babies of a few friends over the last few weeks, I have been reflecting on how I feel about babies. Specifically other people's babies (as I don't have any of my own).
I have always liked babies and small children. I got my first little sister when I was two years old, another when I was six and another when I was eight. Add in a lot of younger cousins (I only have one who is older), with the youngest being about a year older than my first nephew, and I have often had babies and small children around simply from family context. In addition to that, I started babysitting when I was about fourteen (and while it went very well, I would not advise anyone to have such a young babysitter now!) and have been involved in many children's programs. Which means I also choose to be around other people's children. And I love it!
And yet, there is also a sadness sometimes in spending time with other people's children. It is a reminder that I am not married, I do not have any children of my own, and this doesn't look like changing anytime soon. And I'm okay with that - most of the time. It is also a reminder of the babies I won't get to hold because I'll be away while they are still babies, or because they are gone too soon. A close friend of mine and her husband have had the dreadful grief of their baby girl being stillborn. I was so looking forward to meeting this little one, and I never got the chance.
I had forgotten just how many friends I have who were expecting a baby in the last year or so, and so have been surprise by how many babies I have seen while back home over the last four weeks. And then there are the friends who are expecting at the moment, which is exciting, and I hope everything goes smoothly for them. I would love to be able to meet all these babies too!
I wonder how many of the babies I have seen over the last few weeks I will have the privilege to watch grow up. And I wonder if I will end up being that woman who comes up to young people in twenty years' time to say, 'I remember when you were this big!' I have had a few people say that to me over the years. Or, 'You look so like your mother!' Or even, 'You look like your father!'
I wonder how different it will be for this generation, with so many photos and videos and emails and phones to keep people connected even when they move away from each other. Will these children end up being able to say, 'Oh, that's right, you're the one who...' I hope so. I would like to think that with all the technology available now it will be easier to keep in touch with all these growing families when I'm away for months or years at a time.
I am looking forward to meeting the baby of fellow students who was born while I was away, but I am shattered that I will be leaving my niece and nephews behind again when I drive back interstate on Saturday.
But to return to the royal baby, which really triggered all these reflections. People have been making all sorts of suggestions and assumptions about what Prince George will experience through his childhood. One of my favourite artists from my own childhood, Peter Combe, has recorded a song for the royal baby, which I have included here:
I find it sweet and cute, catchy, and it is combined with an excellent video! I hope you enjoy it too! And I love how on his Facebook page Peter Combe introduces it with congratulations to the new parents and then says: "This song is for every new parent and their little prince or princess."
To all of you who read this, I hope that when you started out helpless and reliant upon others, there was someone who treated you as if you were their little prince or princess. I know I did, and I am very thankful to my family for all the love they have poured out on me over the years.
I have always liked babies and small children. I got my first little sister when I was two years old, another when I was six and another when I was eight. Add in a lot of younger cousins (I only have one who is older), with the youngest being about a year older than my first nephew, and I have often had babies and small children around simply from family context. In addition to that, I started babysitting when I was about fourteen (and while it went very well, I would not advise anyone to have such a young babysitter now!) and have been involved in many children's programs. Which means I also choose to be around other people's children. And I love it!
And yet, there is also a sadness sometimes in spending time with other people's children. It is a reminder that I am not married, I do not have any children of my own, and this doesn't look like changing anytime soon. And I'm okay with that - most of the time. It is also a reminder of the babies I won't get to hold because I'll be away while they are still babies, or because they are gone too soon. A close friend of mine and her husband have had the dreadful grief of their baby girl being stillborn. I was so looking forward to meeting this little one, and I never got the chance.
I had forgotten just how many friends I have who were expecting a baby in the last year or so, and so have been surprise by how many babies I have seen while back home over the last four weeks. And then there are the friends who are expecting at the moment, which is exciting, and I hope everything goes smoothly for them. I would love to be able to meet all these babies too!
I wonder how many of the babies I have seen over the last few weeks I will have the privilege to watch grow up. And I wonder if I will end up being that woman who comes up to young people in twenty years' time to say, 'I remember when you were this big!' I have had a few people say that to me over the years. Or, 'You look so like your mother!' Or even, 'You look like your father!'
I wonder how different it will be for this generation, with so many photos and videos and emails and phones to keep people connected even when they move away from each other. Will these children end up being able to say, 'Oh, that's right, you're the one who...' I hope so. I would like to think that with all the technology available now it will be easier to keep in touch with all these growing families when I'm away for months or years at a time.
I am looking forward to meeting the baby of fellow students who was born while I was away, but I am shattered that I will be leaving my niece and nephews behind again when I drive back interstate on Saturday.
But to return to the royal baby, which really triggered all these reflections. People have been making all sorts of suggestions and assumptions about what Prince George will experience through his childhood. One of my favourite artists from my own childhood, Peter Combe, has recorded a song for the royal baby, which I have included here:
I find it sweet and cute, catchy, and it is combined with an excellent video! I hope you enjoy it too! And I love how on his Facebook page Peter Combe introduces it with congratulations to the new parents and then says: "This song is for every new parent and their little prince or princess."
To all of you who read this, I hope that when you started out helpless and reliant upon others, there was someone who treated you as if you were their little prince or princess. I know I did, and I am very thankful to my family for all the love they have poured out on me over the years.
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